Dreamscape

Description

DreamScape is sophisticated set of 3DS MAX plug-ins for creating and rendering realistic landscapes, seascapes, skies, clouds, outdoor lighting and more. In contrast to other terrain creation tools for 3DS MAX, DreamScape Terra uses new rendering technologies that occupy much less of your computers memory (RAM) making it possible to render large detailed terrains on even a modest system. An intuitive and friendly user interface will allow you to easily tweak terrain properties, interactively paint elevation, and even to apply erosion effects. We have created an API for those who would like to create custom filters for terrain processing and modification. DreamScape's Terra also allows importing standard DEM, SDTS and Terragen files.

DreamScape 2.5 New Features

Dynamics Improvements

New algoritm in much faster during object preparation and simulation.

Thanks to those improvements, simulation time can be halved.

Rapid Ray Enhancements

New controls have been added to the DreamScape RapidRay system to enhance the output from the software when needed. This includes the ability to have the atmospheric seen in reflections and refractions from the objects in the scene.

The Sun Light Enhancements

We've added a new option within the Sun Light type for shadow darkness and color. These controls are identical to the ones found in standard 3ds Max lights.

Additionally, the Sun Light's anti-aliased shadows and Area shadows now work correctly on the DreamScape Terra object as well.

Sky Atmospheric Enhancements

We've added Daylight Exclude option to exclude objects that you do not want to be included in Daylight calculations. This effectively lets you fine-tune the daylight rendering and speed the process up significantly.

There is a new Ground Color parameter. If Earth is hit, then transparency is set to zero, only if Ground Color isn't completely black.

DreamScape Noise Map Additions

We've now added the standard 3ds Max Filtering controls so that you can blur and otherwise refine the noise parameters within your materials.

New Terra Material

A completely new material has been provided in DreamScape 2.5 that allows you to blend complete materials based on alititude and/or slope angle. In previous versions of DreamScape, you could only blend maps together, not entire materials.

Sea Material Improvements

Beyond a completely new UI layout within the DreamScape SeaMaterial, users now have additional controls that provide advanced looks for your water surfaces. Minimum Reflectivity levels can be set so that your water appears more or less reflective, even in shadowy areas. Self-reflection and refraction within the water surface is also now available. Foam is displaced by waves and there is new added support for 3ds Max Render Elements - Diffuse, Specular, Reflection and Refraction all now contain the appropriate components.

New DreamScape SubSurface Algorithm

Bug fixes aside, the Sub Surface algorithm has been overhauled and now offers two distinct methods (including a physically based system) for creating the underwater volume scattering effects and how the water interacts with the Sea Surface.

DreamScape SeaSurface Additions

DreamScape 2.5's Sea Surface has received a major update in it's Foam System. This new set of algorithms can create far more useful and realistic foam maps which are completely independent of the grid detail.

And with this new foam system comes the added benefit of being able to take the resultant .BMP maps and refine them within any editing package before final rendering.

DreamScape Features

DreamScape's Sea Material is here to help you render very realistic sea surfaces including reflections, refractions, bump mapping, foam and underwater scenery. Sea Material is applied to the SeaSurface object that is powered by advanced FOV-based mesh creation algorithms. By using this method it is possible to render huge seascapes that are 'RAM friendly' as well. SeaSurface can create realistic water patterns and motion based on the oceanographic studies and observations. If you need powerful and affordable tool for creating "real world" environments, DreamScape is the right choice.

DreamScape includes two methods for rendering skies. One method is based on assumption that Earth's surface is flat which enable very fast atmosphere calculations. The other method is based on realistic Earth model where the Earth's surface is rounded.

Both methods are based on the physical properties of Earth's atmosphere that include different light scattering types, atmosphere density falloff with the height, haze, rainbow, sunglow and more.

By changing the atmosphere properties you can easily create realistic alien skies. Not only that the sky color will change under different conditions, but the light coming from the alien Sun will illuminate the scene completely different.

With DreamScape's intuitive user interface and floating Sky/Clouds preview window, creating realistic skies is fast and straightforward process as you can see the effect of parameter change instantly.

Both cloud types can be modified using various parameters such as density, coverage, color, and clouds size.

New 3D Clouds feature adds a completely new dimension to the DreamScape package. By using various noise patterns, density control, coverage and scattering parameters it is very easy to create realistic clouds.

Each cloud layer can be localized with up to 99 unique perimeters. Each perimeter's position can be animated.

Illumination of the cloud layer is the combination of cloud thickness, direct sunlight and indirect light. All those aspects can be easily changed inside the Clouds dialog.

Within the preview window the complete cloud layer can be moved by simply dragging the mouse. This way, you can also animate each cloud layer separately.

SeaSurface includes two different mesh generation algorithms - regular grid and adaptive mesh. Both mesh types uses the same internal wave generator that is based on the real ocean observations. This model allows user to fine-tune almost every aspect of the waves ranging from waves detail, scale, height, propagation speed, direction, and more. SeaSurface mesh unique capabilities includes creation of choppy waves and calculation of foam. Foam map can be pre calculated and stored to your disk.

Similar to the AfterBurn Daemons, DreamScape Daemons allows additional SeaSurface manipulation. Another advantage of such approach is that new functionality can be added very easily to the package. Included is SimpleWaves Daemon that you can use to create swells and similar waves

Dynamics Daemon performs numerous calculations to simulate object-water interactions. It can create realistic wakes that will reflect and refract foam from wakes or objects, and calculate buoyant and gravitational forces acting on an object. Using DreamScape Engine Space Warp it is possible to create self-propelled object that will move smoothly across a SeaSurface.

With adaptive mesh type you can create huge sea surface and still keep the total number of polygons low. It also includes various optimization parameters as well as separate resolution for viewport and rendering.

Sub Surface

SubSurface includes physically based model for calculation of optical properties of the water. The color of the sea will be automatically calculated depending on the sea depth and Sun position.

Videos

Specifications & Licensing

System Requirements

Hardware Requirements

Dreamscape can run on any system that meets the system requirements for the version of 3ds Max.

Host Requirements

3ds Max 9, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012

Licensing

After purchasing an email is sent that contains activation keys and download links. The download links expire 6 days after so you must download the software as soon as possible.

The installer that is downloaded includes installation options for license manager, Plug-in and render node.

For network licenses you must install the license manager on your license server first then activate your key on the license server. After that you can install the Plug-in on your 3ds Max workstation, launch 3ds Max and access the plug-in from within. When you first attempt to use the Plug-in you will be prompted to activate or give a license server host name. Once you enter your license server info you will be able to use the plugin.

For render nodes, follow the same steps above for the workstation, after you have successfully accessed the plugin from within 3ds Max on the render node, shutdown 3ds Max and your done.